Centene has agreed to pay $19 million to the state of Washington and $13 million to the federal government to settle allegations it overcharged the state Medicaid program for pharmacy benefit management services.
The settlement is the second-largest Medicaid fraud recovery in the state's history, according to an Aug. 24 news release from the Washington attorney general's office
The settlement comes after a joint investigation by the attorney general's office and the Washington State Health Care Authority, according to the release. The office began investigating pharmacy benefit managers in 2019 after a whistleblower provided information that they were allegedly failing to disclose the true costs of pharmacy benefits and services.
Centene allegedly failed to pass on discounts it received to the state Medicaid program and inflated dispensing fees, the release said.
Since the start of 2021, Centene has settled with 10 other states over allegations it overbilled Medicaid programs for prescription drugs and services.